Undergraduate Research for Summer 2020:

  • Any research experience that was designed to be completed remotely, or that can be converted into a remote experience, can proceed.
  • Experiences that are scheduled to take place off campus can proceed, to the extent they are not restricted by CDC guidelines for travel, by local conditions, or by a collaborating institution.
  • Experiences that are intended to be conducted in person on campus can proceed, only under two conditions:
  • Only students who have been pre-approved to live on campus during the summer can perform in-person work. No students currently living off campus (including in Northfield) will be permitted to return to campus this summer. For students currently living on campus, a research position or internship is not a sufficient reason for them to stay on campus this summer. Residential Life has established a petition process for students to request staying on campus this summer, and all students currently living on campus have been informed of this process.
  • In-person work must be conducted under the condition of social distancing (determined by the guidance we’re receiving from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Governor’s Office). Those projects that cannot be conducted in a social-distancing or remote context should be canceled.

Faculty wishing to engage students as partners in their research or creative projects can apply for funding to support students during summer or winter break. In order to receive this funding, faculty members must commit to carefully mentor students during this time, so that students develop the capacity for independent research. The collaboration should enable the student to make an original contribution to the faculty member’s research or creative project. Such projects should also involve regular, substantive faculty-student contact.

We are looking into whether to leave open the possibility of doing in-person research with students on campus this summer. We expect to have more guidance after midterm break. Faculty are not expected to provide remote research as an alternative to in-person research. Some work is not possible in a remote environment and some research plans may have changed as a result of the pandemic. If you would like to provide a remote work alternative to students, we suggest that you begin planning for this, at least as a backup to your original plans. Please take into account, however, that a full-time appointment may not be realistic. The duration and intensity of the original, in-person experiences may need to be modified for a remote experience.

Beginning Summer 2020, the student research stipend at Carleton supports students working full time (approx. 40 hours) at a rate of $480 per week, up to ten weeks in summer or three weeks during winter break. For students doing research on a part-time basis, the level of support should be adjusted proportionally (i.e. three quarter-time = $360 per week, half-time = $240 per week, one third-time = $160 per week, etc.).  

New Procedures for Paying Student Research Partners

During academic breaks, Student Research Partners may receive financial support via a Research Fellowship. The purpose of offering financial support during breaks is so that students can afford to further their education by pursuing more in-depth research experiences. Payments will be in the form of fellowship stipends, payable in one lump sum before or at the onset of the anticipated work. No taxes will be withheld from this stipend and students are responsible for tax reporting on this payment. The only exception is that international students from countries with which the U.S. does not have a tax treaty will have their payment adjusted so that they will receive the full amount of the stipend, after 14% U.S. tax withholding, if they are working from inside the U.S. If they are working remotely from their home country, this tax withholding is not applied. Shari Mayer is the contact person for determining the gross-up payment amount on a case-by-case basis.

The process for submitting payments will also change, as follows:

  1. Faculty must ask the students to complete and submit a waiver and tax treatment acknowledgement form.
  2. Before the onset of the research, have students complete the ‘Non-Payroll’ Direct Deposit Bank Account form on the Hub to enable direct deposit into their bank account. Students need their banking information to complete this form.
  3. To request payment, faculty (or their designee) must submit a completed Payment Request Form for the full award amount to Accounts Payable before the onset of the research. Include the student ID number on the form. Under the description/purpose, list “Research Fellowship with (Faculty Member Name).” After entering the budget fund, source, and department numbers, enter 5912 (Student Research Award) as the object code. Attach the student-signed waiver and tax treatment acknowledgement form to the Payment Request form before submitting to the Business Office. Melissa Smith is the contact for payment processing.

Applying for a Student Research Partner

  • For projects in the Humanities, apply for Student Research Partnerships supported by the Humanities Center.
  • For projects in STEM, apply for Faculty/Student Research Awards in Math and Science supported by the Towsley Endowment.
  • Student Research Partners supported by the Dean of the College Office. Projects in Humanities (including Arts and Social Sciences) and projects in STEM should apply to one of the two above funds before applying to the DOC. DOC applications are considered on a rolling basis.
  • Laurence and Lucille Wu Family Endowed fund for Faculty/Student Collaborative Study Projects. This fund can support one or two study/research projects of faculty and students. It would be particularly appropriate for projects that involve travel together. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
  • Faculty Stipend for mentoring summer undergraduate research. Faculty are eligible for a stipend if they will spend significant time supervising student research and will not receive a stipend or salary from grants or other sources. Faculty mentoring part-time SRPs (fewer than 10 Weeks of full-time work) will receive a $1,200 stipend and faculty mentoring full-time SRPs (10 weeks or more of full-time work) will receive a $2,000 stipend. Note that regardless of how many students are being supervised, only one stipend per individual faculty member will be awarded. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.